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Which Telefunken 12ax7

I'd like to hear from members who are familiar with NOS Telefunken 12ax7s from the 1950&60s. I've spoken with three different tube vendors who are frequently recommended on this forum and received three different assessments of the ribbed vs smooth plate versions. One vendor said there was no sonic difference, while the other two were opposed as to which was warmer and which was more detailed. I sure would appreciate it if you guys could help straighten this out.
phaelon
prcinka
366 posts
 
...are you sure about the Est German Telefunken's?They had factories just at Ulm and Berlin for the tubes....
lloydc's avatar
lloydc
751 posts
 
if you've reached the point where you care about and can hear the fine points of such tubes, only listening in your own system can answer your questions.
phaelon OP
1,049 posts
 
Thanks Teajay, terrific review. Brent Jessee is a local guy so I'll definitely try to get a pair for audition alongside the Telefunkins.

Mcfarland, Thanks for the heads-up. I'm not sure how, but I'll try to determine which plant if possible.
mcfarland
356 posts
 
Generally the East German tubes have thinner pins. A reputable dealer (such as Brent Jesse, Vintage Tube Services, etc.) will not, or should not, steer you wrong. See if you can find some good testing used pulls from old equipment. You can then use those to compare such things as the pins.
phaelon OP
1,049 posts
 
Well, as it turns out, while I was seeking consensus on this forum, the particular Telefunkens that I was eyeballing were sold to a gentleman in Hong Kong (the quick and the dead). In lengthy conversation with Brent, we decided to start with a pair of 1953 Siemens ECC83 long plates. If they're not everything I'm looking for, I'll try the Mazda's. Thank you everyone; your help was more appreciated than you know.
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